September 8, 2024
Last time we delved into the biggest heresy since Arianism when we looked at the heresy of Martin Luther, commonly call Protestantism. What we are going to look at today are some of the practical effects of his breaking from the Catholic Church and founding his own church. The immediate effects are a proliferation of attacks on the Catholic Church, the closure of convents and monasteries, the stripping of churches, martyrdoms and in some places outright war. Coupled with that are the mountains of bad theology and bad bible exegesis. One of the surest signs of the fact that Martin Luther's new church was not founded by Christ, is how quickly it divides and subdivides.
Within a couple of years, there are already multiple versions of new churches which started after Martin Luther. One of them founded by Huldrych Zwingli who was also a former Catholic priest as Luther was but thought priests should be able to marry. He ended up leading a large portion of Switzerland into heresy and while he at first followed Luther, he eventually broke from him and founded what is called :reformed Christianity: or as later is was commonly called "Calvinism" after one of the adherents, a John Calvin, who spread and refined their theology.
Today there are around 35,000 different denominational and non-denominational branches of Martin Luther's protestantism. That is pretty astounding to think of, especially when we look at the fact that is all began in the 1500s with one man - Martin Luther. One man began all this by going against the Church Christ founded, and the results are clear. Another thing to keep in mind is that none of those denominations have the Eucharist. Regardless of their beliefs, most of them believe in only a symbolic presence or spiritual presence, they have no valid priesthood. This means they cannot trace their priesthood back to the apostles, the first instituted bishops and priests, whom Christ Himself ordained. When Luther broke from the Church, that line was served for any and all denominations which came about from that. The Eucharist requires a valid priesthood. A personal belief is not sufficient as it requires a direct line of succession with those whom Christ tasked with continuing the memorial of Calvary. No valid priesthood, no valid Eucharist. Think about the fact that there are no Eucharistic miracles with any of the other churches and their version of communion. Or that in order to celebrate a black mass, Satanists must have the Eucharist from a Catholic church as even they know thatChrist is only physically present in the Eucharist in our churches. The other churches also lack the Sacraments of Penance, Confirmation and Anointing of the Sick due to that same reason.
We see what started as the basis of Protestantism, which would be called the Lutheran church, and how within a few years they have the various national Lutheran churches - which vary greatly in terms of their doctrines and practices. With Calvins version, we have the beginning of the "Reformed churches" which feels Luther did not go far enough in removing anything that had even a scent of Catholicism. Shortly thereafter we have the beginning of the Presbyterian Church which breaks from them and all the different smaller denominations that broke from them. The various "Congregationalist" churches are founded as the rift in Protestantism begins to deepen. Soon also there is the founding of the Anabaptists from a branch of Luther's church that later give rise to groups like the Mennonites and the Amish. You have the Baptist (which they have multiple different places of origin, on which they themselves cannot completely decide) breaking from the Lutherans as well with a bit of the Anabaptist flair to them, and from them generally you have the Quakers, the Adventists and the Seventh Day Adventists. And the fracturing continues on and on to this day as we see with the continuous opening and closing of mega churches and various new "denominations" and non-denominational churches popping up all over. Next time we will take a look at one of the heresies that began shortly after Luther and ended in much the same way.
Thank God we belong to His One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
God love you,
Fr. Anthony
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